United Rant Live! Germany v Greece

More than 30 games into Euro 2012 and we reach the knock-out stages, when the true narrative of the tournament is always written. Over the next 10 days hopes and dreams will be shattered, or attained, as the tournament reaches it’s dénouement. What a tournament it has been to date, with some of the most attacking football seen at any international competition in recent memory.

The quarter-finals take place over four nights, starting with Portugal’s win over the Czech Republic on Thursday, and concluding with England’s defeat to Italy in Kiev on Sunday.

In between – Friday’s match, as Germany meets Greece in Gdansk. Can Mario Gomez, Mesut Ozil and the rest lead Germany into the semi-final, or will Greece’s fighting spirit produce another shock?

Join United Rant for live chat, comment and analysis on the match from around 7pm, with updates and news through the afternoon.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is a fucking beast. Never happen in a million years of course, but what a player he’d be for us. THAT’s the sort of quality that’s needed to ‘fix’ our central midfield and it truly depresses me that United can no longer attract that sort of player.

This German team is excellent. I can’t decide whether a defeat to Italy might be a blessing in disguise because if we were to play Germany it would truly be an arschenspanken of uber-lube proportions.

I don’t think the Germans are all that… it’s just that they’re German… and the one thing Germans excel at… is competition.
Man for man, the Germans are no better than England… seriously… it’s not like they have any Messis, or Ronaldos… our keeper is better… our defence is better… we’ve got just as good midfielders,(individually) but not as a unit… and we may not have the depth of strikers, but Rooney is better than any one of theirs… what they do have is discipline, and confidence in their ability… the two things England lack badly.
The Germans are awesome as a team… because, as a team, they believe in themselves…
England are rubbish as a team… because, as a team, they’re scared shitless.

“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”

German midfield far better then the English midfield, two play for Real Madrid and the other runs the Bayern midfield.

Neuer better then Hart.

Defense about even but England have better attacking options.

But rest of the point stands, the German team has been brought through from a really successful U21 team, they have the youngest team at the competition yet all these youngsters have so much experience at International level. Germany play like a club side were England never quite seem to match the sum of their parts (Though they have shown more this time.)

I think that’s underselling some of the quality they have in their ranks Alf. I take the point about mental strength and discipline. And I’ll grant you that Hart is better than Neuer. Rooney has more in his locker than Gomez or Klose, but the thing with Wayne these days is that his performances are all or nothing. The likes of Muller and Podolski are very good players who may not have a huge amount of flair, but they’re technically competent and tactically sound – the movement off the ball and ability to use the ball under pressure is light years ahead of what we see from England’s front men. I look at some of the players who they’ve got coming through, the likes of Goetze who hasn’t even featured in any great form at this tournament. I look through their squad and it’s packed with with 8 out of 10 type players.

squigs said:
German midfield far better then the English midfield, two play for Real Madrid and the other runs the Bayern midfield.

Neuer better then Hart.

Defense about even but England have better attacking options.

But rest of the point stands, the German team has been brought through from a really successful U21 team, they have the youngest team at the competition yet all these youngsters have so much experience at International level. Germany play like a club side were England never quite seem to match the sum of their parts (Though they have shown more this time.)

I think Hart is better… and our defence is better all day long.

The midfield is debatable… Gerrard isn’t what he was, or he’d top anything the Germans have, but I’ll grant that he’s lost a bit with age… Lampard is the same, but the two of them can’t play together… Carrick didn’t get picked, but he should have been… and what we lack in the middle, we make up for on the wings… I’m not a big fan of Walcott, but he’s still young, and along with Ox-Chump, we’ve got some very promising youth as well… I’d still give you the midfield, but I don’t think it’s head and shoulders better… just German better… and that’s my point… on a scale of one to ten… a German 8 beats an English 8 every time… and that’s simply because the German believes he’s better.